Classes offered to get people out skiing

The community involved in outdoor recreation in Plumas County continues to expand. More and more outdoor adventure seekers are flooding the county’s mountains and taking in the amazing views in the many activities available.

Partially responsible for the influx in outdoor enthusiasts is the Outdoor Recreational Leadership program at Feather River College. The department, headed by Rick Stock, brings in numerous nature-loving students every year.

The program has grown substantially since Stock took it over in 2000. Before Stock moved to Quincy he kayaked the Feather River many times. When the opportunity to move to Plumas County arose, he jumped on it. At the time, interest in outdoor recreation wasn’t as large.

“What I found was the outdoor adventure craze that was really big in other places like Colorado hadn’t really hit Plumas County yet,” said Stock. “The resource base was here, but not many people were taking advantage of it.”

When Stock finally settled he realized all the different outdoor opportunities Plumas County allowed. Many adventures are waiting to be had during the Plumas County winters. The snow covering the mountains provides world-class skiing only minutes away.

To encourage the community to get off the couch and explore the county, FRC is offering two skiing classes this winter, covering backcountry skiing and snowboarding and telemark skiing.

The telemark skiing class will start the winter off Feb. 1 – 3. The class costs $175 and includes lift tickets, transportation to Donner Summit and two nights lodging at Cal Lodge. All skill levels are invited to join.

The backcountry ski and snowboard class, which takes place Feb. 8 – 10, is geared toward those who already possess a certain skill base. The class doesn’t focus on technical abilities, but rather how to use pre-existing abilities in the beauty of the backcountry.

“Backcountry skiing is not about making pretty turns on skis,” said Stock. “It’s about enjoying the mountains in the winter. The mountains around here are very accessible, so we want as many people as possible to enjoy them.”

Each participant is responsible for bringing his or her own skis or snowboard. Group travel, avalanche protocol, avalanche forecasting, rescue and route finding will all be covered in the class.

“Anybody who wants access to the winter can get it around here,” said Stock. “Anybody who wants privacy can get it. Anyone who wants safety in numbers can get it. Anyone who wants anything in between can get it. We have enough mountain for everyone.”

Those interested in joining the telemark skiing class are invited to contact Darla DeRuiter at (530) 283-0202, ext. 262. Those interested in the backcountry ski and snowboard class can contact Saylor Flett at 283-0202, ext. 216.